Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to insect and arthropod tagging and, more specifically, to tagging using an electrosprayer.
Description of the Prior Art
A reliable method for tagging insects (and other potential appropriate arthropods, such as scorpions, spiders, etc., hereinafter simply referred to as “insects”) is a key component in studies of their biology, ethology, and demography. Reliable and effective methods depend on a device that can consistently deliver the tagging material onto the target insects efficiently. Devices are needed to tag insects with marking agents that include: fluorescent dyes, quantum dots, molecular beacons or aptamers and proteins, and magnetic particles. Moreover, the devices need to tag insects in a short period of time, i.e., within a few seconds to a minute to avoid over-stressing the organism.
Current insect tagging devices utilize nebulization to create and apply liquid droplets for coating. This method is relatively ineffective because the bodies of insects are typically covered with hairs or bristles (setae) that are dense enough to prevent droplets larger than about 50 microns from reaching the exoskeleton below. In this fashion, the bristles on the insect's body act as a hydrophobic barrier for protection, shielding the subject from foreign materials such as rain, mist, and small debris. Nebulization methods of droplet creation typically produce droplets too large to penetrate this protective barrier. When using these methods, excessive wetting of the insects usually results from efforts to compensate for the lack of penetration of the droplets. This is not only wasteful of potentially expensive reagent solutions, but can leave such high amounts of fluid on the insects so as to incapacitate and/or harm them, while still failing to provide a satisfactory coating.